The exclusive rights to bring an indoor ski resort to Lorton will soon expire for one developer, but the project isn’t going away.
Alpine-X, which is looking to build a 450,000-square-foot complex on a closed section of the I-95 landfill, will continue to pursue the “Fairfax Peak” project after the rights end on Dec. 31.
The company intends to take a closer look at the financial state of the project before moving forward, Alpine-X CEO John Emery told FFXnow.
“We are taking extra time to deal with the dramatic increases in construction cost and interest rates,” Emery said. “Since we build projects with a long-term view we make every effort to ensure the future financial success of a project prior to breaking ground.”
The project now has an estimated cost of $400 million to $500 million, the Washington Business Journal reported.
The proposed project, submitted to county officials in 2018, targets an unused portion of the 489-acre landfill site to build the largest indoor ski slope in the country. The company says it’s “expected to be the first facility of its kind in the U.S.”
Under a public-private partnership, Fairfax County would grant a “sufficiently long” ground lease for the property, while Alpine-X would be responsible for developing the complex, the proposal says.
Coming in at 1,700 feet, the ski slope would be accompanied by a tubing slope and a snow field where visitors can “build snowmen, play in snow and engage in other snow activities.”
A hotel featuring more than 100 rooms would also be housed on the property, as would multiple drinking and dining establishments and select outdoor recreation facilities, according to the proposal.
Construction of the initial phases of the project would take between three and four years to complete based on certain variables, according to company estimates.
Alpine-X once hoped that the resort could begin operations in late 2024, but “market changes” and rising construction costs due to inflation have kept the company from moving forward with the project so far, Chief Financial Officer Jim Calder told FFXnow last year.
“We have discussed this extensively with the County, who without fail have been and remain extremely supportive, and will proceed in a timely fashion as the development process and financial requirements allow,” Emery said.
As the project progresses, county officials have considered establishing a body that would oversee similar recreational projects in the future.
In June, the Board of Supervisors unanimously directed County Executive Bryan Hill to explore establishing a public recreational facilities authority that would be responsible for exploring opportunities for new facilities and boosting the county’s nascent venture into sports tourism.
“In recent years, several groups have expressed interest in partnering with Fairfax County to establish entertainment, sports, and other recreational facilities,” the approved board matter said. “Currently, Fairfax County has specifically defined formal mechanisms to explore public-private partnerships that benefit residents and ensure adequate public involvement in project planning and community use of new facilities.”
The office of Braddock District Supervisor James Walkinshaw, who spearheaded the board matter, didn’t provide an update on the subject by press time.
